Anyday Now
by mybluecastle.mybarney
Summary: Hermione Remus On Hermione's 18th birthday, Remus is forced to look at the head girl in a whole new light. Please R &R!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Remus sat at the bar counter in Hogsmeade staring at his drink, wondering why he wasn't more emotional. Tonks had just left the bar and all Remus had felt was a little self-pity for his enormously disappointing love life.

It wasn't that he had regretted his decision to break up with the multi-color haired witch. Rather, he regretted what she represented in Remus' life: that he had little hope of maintaining a relationship. In all of his 38 years, Lupin had never maintained a girlfriend for more than two months, and it had almost always been his choice to end things. Was he really that emotionally immature? Really, out of all of the available problems for a werewolf to have in his love life, _commitment _was the reason he couldn't maintain a relationship? Weren't werewolves supposed to repel any women with self-respect within ten feet?

The professor had really thought that it would've worked with Tonks. She was interesting, smart, beautiful…. It just never felt right. Apparently, going into the relationship thinking that he would just suck it up figure out a way to stick it through was not the best tactic. He had always figured that when he knew another person with all of their flaws and strengths and he still felt like it was all worth it, was when he would know it was right. That had never come.

With a resigned sigh, Remus Lupin fished his pocket for the change to pay for his drink. He glanced at his watch. _7:06._

At that moment, he felt an excruciating pain in his shoulder, as if his skin was being shred open. He felt blood wet his shirt and he had to cling to the nearby wall to maintain his balance. Pulling down his shirt to see what had happened, Remus saw that the bite he had received which had turned him into a werewolf, was now as opening and exposing his flesh to the chilly autumn day.

At the same time, Lupin felt a new sensation. The only way he could think to explain it was that he had received a whole new layer to his emotions. Except this layer was not his own. No, they were someone else's emotions that he now had access to explore and feel as his own whenever he chose to do so. As if fate decided to give Remus a hint into the mystery that laid in front him, a distinct smell wafted in front of Remus' nose, as poignant as it was brief.

_Chocolate. Honey. Sun. _Remus closed his eyes and took the scent in.Merlin, he loved chocolate. But Remus knew this scent well. This was Hermione Granger's scent.

With a wince, recognition crossed the professor's face. The only reason he knew what this fleeting aroma meant was because Remus, being extremely studious in nature, had spent years researching what it meant to be a werewolf. This was the smell of his werewolf's mate. _Hermione Granger_ was his mate.

O

In a very different pub, Hermione was celebrating here 18th birthday. Ginny had dragged her out, declaring that there was now way that Hermione would spend her birthday as pathetically as she would've chosen: studying, Ginny had recruited a small group of friends and they demanded refreshments.

Hermione struggled to carry all the drinks back to the table, Blaise Zabini, the head boy to her head girl, swept in to help. "Let me help you with that, sweet. Pretty little thing like you shouldn't have to do the heavy lifting herself."

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Gross, Zabini. As if that "pretty little thing" line has ever worked for anyone besides Pansy. Plus, by now you had better know that Hermione Granger needs no man"

He laughed but continued to aid her as they set down the drinks on the table. Hermione looked at Blaise thoughtfully. She would have to admit that he was beautiful. Milk chocolate skin, tall, strong stature and jawline, not to mention his striking Slytherin green eyes. He had made it very clear that he found her attractive and would happily, in his words, "shag her senseless." They also got along quite well, as evidenced by all the time they spent together on head girl and head boy duties. So why did she hesitate? What stopped her from allowing his advances?

As Hermione moved to sit down, she froze _7:06. _ Something inside had shifted somehow. It was as if there was another soul inside hers. She could feel his emotions firmly tucking themselves within her own, patiently waiting to be discovered, to be explored. Or was it a girl's emotions? She shook her head. No, it was definitely a he. But Hermione couldn't tell whose.

Or if she was really just going mad. Yeah that was it. She was going mad.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a small voice, "Okay, 'Mione?"

Hermione's eyes snapped down to see Ginny giving her a concerned look. She thought about excusing herself; she suddenly didn't feel like celebrating. However, the protestations, that she knew would quickly follow, made her reconsider. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, finishing to sit down. She furrowed her brow. "Seven o' six." she muttered to herself. "That's the time that I was born."

O

Remus Lupin and Hermione Granger were working in the office adjoint to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class room. Hermione had been working as a teacher's assistant in exchange for help in a weekly spell.

Ron and Harry were out searching for the Horcruxes while Hermione had been going mad, twiddling her thumbs at Hogwarts. They had all agreed that it was important that one of the three be at Hogwarts to help with the Order from home. Hermione had been nominated, and she did have to admit that she was the best candidate due to her Head Girl status. While she realized that it was important to stay at Hogwarts, it was hard not to slowly go insane. She worried constantly about her best friends.

Therefore, Hermione found an ideal compromise: a spell that would send her magical reserves to Ron and Harry. It was the only thing that she could think of that would help; and she was not comfortable with sitting idly by while Ron and Harry were constantly risking their lives. So, a few times a week, Hermione would help Professor Lupin with grading and other duties, and he in turn, would help her with the complicated spell.

Hermione glanced at the professor across the desk that she was sharing with him. She could tell that he was fully engrossed in the project at hand so Hermione reasoned that he probably wouldn't notice her stare. She looked at how his sandy hair, which had earlier looked parted and combed, now fell over, falling near his eyes. She wanted to brush it away but quickly remembered the teacher student relationship that stood in place. Hermione's eyes then went from his firm jawline to what she normally saw as dark blue eyes framed by long lashes. However, instead of a dark blue, Hermione saw a very disconcerting, light blue-gray.

Remus, on the other hand, was very aware of her gaze while he tried to concentrate but he could not ignore Hermione's intense stare. Remus had promised himself that he wouldn't try to explore his newfound access to Hermione's emotions but he had difficulty resisting. He wanted any clue as to what the young witch was thinking when she looked at him the way she was.

Ignoring the part of him that was worried about the moral questionability of his actions, Remus decided to delve in to Hermione's emotions. As he found that the primary emotion, which plagued Hermione, was curiosity, he tried to tuck away his disappointment that it was nothing more. He was about to look up and betray his pretense of devotion to his work when he was interrupted by a small voice.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Hermione?" He had long since given up trying to call her Miss Granger, since he had retired from his teaching job and gotten to know her as Harry's friend rather than a student. When he returned to the job, he found it near impossible to pick back up the formalities.

Hermione still felt a shiver go through her spine when she heard him say her name. "Aren't your eyes normally a darker blue?"

A blush crept up onto Remus' face and he quickly lowered his eyes and started to pack up his belongings. "It's getting late, Miss Granger. I think we've both done enough work for the night." He gave her a small stiff smile and briskly walked toward the door. He held it open expectantly, indicating that she should leave. Hermione was surprised at the sudden formality in calling her 'Miss Granger' and his sudden embarrassment. She lifted up her eyebrow at him as she exited the office. From there she headed straight to the Library.

AN: So there's more to come but please review because that's what keeps me going! And all will be explained in the next chapter. Also I think that everyone should know that I just went to Kings Cross to take a picture at platform 9 and three quarters. The people that worked there to take pictures said that I should be a Slytherin because I look sneaky. So I don't know if that poses any problems for you as a reader ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hermione sat on her bed, surrounded by books. After her bizarre encounter with Lupin, she had collected dozens of books on lycanthropy and ignored the stares of her fellow students as she struggled to carry her enormous book bag back to the Head Girl's chambers. She had spent days searching the books whenever she had gotten the chance. Why had he acted so strangely when she brought up the strange moonlike color of his eyes?

She had already scanned almost all of the books on lycanthropy that she had brought back to her room. Hermione picked up the last one, entitled _Werewolves and Their Mating Patterns. _She had been doubtful that the book would be any help but she blushed as she admitted to herself that she was curious about the subject. Hermione almost rolled her eyes as she realized how childish she was acting, blushing because she had more than a natural interest in her professor.

Hermione flipped through the pages, scanning them for anything of use. Her eyes caught on a sentence, "_Werewolves eyes will also change color to what one would call the color of the 'moon,' or rather a very light gray or blue when around their mate." _

'Mate?' she thought. 'No, its not possible… Perhaps there was someone else in the room with us, under an invisibility cloak or hidden, out of view." Then Hermione realized that, if there had, indeed, been someone with them, Remus would have sniffed them out almost immediately, due to his extreme sense of smell.

Hermione shook her head and flipped back to the beginning of the page. "_Werewolves undergo many changes once they find their mate. This includes the original bite mark, from the werewolf who cause them to change, to reopen until bonding occurs." _She flipped back to another page. "_A werewolf will not find his or her mate until both have reached their eighteenth birthday. When said age is reached by the youngest member of the newfound pairing, both will attain a sort of secondary set of emotions to link the two together. These emotions are always accessible to the werewolf and his mate, but can be ignored at all times unless one of the two is feeling an emotion or sentiment that is particularly strong and powerful." …"Until Bonding occurs, the werewolf will have extremely difficult transformations…""Bonding must happen within the first three full moons,"_

Hermione backed away from the book as if it carried some infectious and fatal disease. 'This is a prank. This has to be some sort of a sick joke,' she thought.

Hermione moved toward the window and sat down on her window seat, trying to calm her breathing and think clearly. She finally had to accept that even the most advanced prankster could not fake that what she had just read in the book validated what she had been feeling since her birthday, exactly like those eerie words predicted.

She pulled back the curtain covering the window to reveal a full moon. Hermione scoffed in annoyance. 'How disgustingly fitting that I should discover this tonight of all nights.'

Hermione had an enormous fire in her gut, an anger that reached her whole body. She couldn't ignore her frustration that Remus had chosen not to tell her anything as if he did not deem it important for her to know. She was mad that she had no choice in the matter. But mostly, she was mad that the fact that she was the mate of her professor didn't bother her at all. She hated that she was just some lovesick teenager who fancied her teacher. Hermione Granger was extremely smart and level headed, dammit. She was not that girl who sat in class making eyes at the teacher (Lockhart excluded) while he barely acknowledges her existence.

That led the young witch to a new train of thought. What did Lupin think of all of this? She imagined that he was extremely disappointed to find out that it was one of his students, and a frizzy haired bookworm one at that. And why should he be happy about this? She definitely wasn't and she had been attracted to her teacher for who knows how long!

A knocking on the door interrupted Hermione's thoughts. Opening the door, she saw Blaise stroll into her chambers with his habitual confident stride.

"Do you hear that?" He asked.

"Hear what?

Blaise walked over to the window that she had just been sitting by and opened it. He gave a pointed look to the window and said, "That."

Loud howling was right outside her window. The whole school knew that Remus was a werewolf but he had always made efforts to stay far from the castle. Today it almost seemed that the professor was right outside her window. Hermione hoped that no one else besides Blaise and herself had heard the loud noises coming from outside.

Hermione's eyes widened. _"Until Bonding occurs, the werewolf will have extremely difficult transformation…" _She spun around to Blaise. "You don't think there's anything we can do, do you?"

"No. But you do look rather scared. Do you need me to stay here tonight, just to make you feel safe?"

She laughed and lightly hit him on the arm. "Shut up, Zabini." She pushed him towards her door. "And get out. Don't make me tell you twice."

"I'm hurt, Granger. "

O

Hermione walked towards her Defense Against the Dark Arts class wondering how she was going to be able to spend an hour with her teacher without exploding at him. A redheaded girl interrupted her thoughts, "Hermione, wait up!"

"Hullo Ginny, how's it going?"

"Alright, you? What class are you headed towards?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh. Good luck with that. Our favorite potions teacher is covering for Professor Lupin. He's in the infirmary apparently." She glanced down at her watch. "Got to run, I'm going to be late. See you later!" She said as she turned another hallway.

Hermione bit her lip. The transformation. The howling outside her window all hours of the night. _Of course _he wouldn't be in class, he had probably just had one of the worst transformations yet.

Hermione felt a mixture of relief, disappointment, and concern. Relief that she didn't have to talk to him about their recent problem, disappointment that she couldn't learn more from him about it or even see him, and lastly concern. Annoying, overwhelming, bloody concern that he was lying in a hospital bed because the transformation had gone so badly. And she had had the chance to make things easier somehow in bonding.

Then Hermione had felt so stupid, she could've hit herself. After Blaise had entered her room the night before, and she had heard the howling, she had completely forgotten to continue her research on the topic of werewolf bonding. Hermione silently promised herself that she would continue to read up on the subject the minute she had any free time.

She entered the classroom to see a very greasy and dark Snape announce, "Welcome to class. I will be your teacher for the next few days while Professor Lupin is otherwise disposed.

O

Remus Lupin woke up to the sight of Hermione Granger storming into the infirmary room, headed right for where he lay. He normally would've been scared, as any rational bloke would have been to see one of the most powerful and intelligent witches charging in like that, but he had only noticed how much better his reopened wound had felt once she had entered the room.

"First of all, how are you?" she said impatiently.

"Er….good?"

"Good? Good." She looked around and pulled out her wand to cast a silencing spell. "Now that we've gotten that settled, what the bloody hell, professor? I mean about the mate thing." She shuffled her feet embarrassedly but continued. "Did you really not think it important to tell me? I mean I am as involved in this as you are. And you just thought, 'Nah, lets not tell Hermione, let's make her figure it all out on her own.' Did you ever realize how guilty I might feel that you had this awful transformation and end up in a hospital when there was something that I could've-"

"Hermione! Stop. Right now. Sit down."

Seeing the stern look on his face, she obeyed.

"Did you read about what the bonding process entails?"

Hermione blushed. "Yes well, actually, I never got into the specifics of that part."

"I have to change you. Into a werewolf."

Hermione's eyes widened as she exhaled. "Oh. I read that it has to happen within the first three full moons. What happens if we don't?"

"I die. I mean slowly, it isn't a quick sudden death. But once transform back into a human, I start to degenerate until eventually, in a couple of months, I eventually pass on. "

"Fuck."

"Fuck indeed."

"I can see why you were hesitant to tell me then." Hermione set her forehead on her hands, with her elbows resting on her lap. Her hair fell forward and Remus could practically taste her scent. Merlin, she her hair smelled amazing. He couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to run his fingers through her locks.

"Yes. I didn't even know if I could ask something like that of you. I don't want to be responsible for ruining your life."

The fire in Hermione's eyes that had so recently disappeared, came back just as quickly. "You think I want to be responsible for your _death?_ What kind of guilt do you think I would have to deal with then? Eventually I would've found out what had killed you and I would've had to live out the rest of my years knowing that I had caused your passing."

"Hermione, give me a break. I probably should've told you already but let's not pretend that there is a simple, black-and-white solution to any of this."

"There is a simple black-and-white solution to this, don't give me anymore of your selfless-martyr bullshit, I am going to become a werewolf, and you are just going to have to suck it up because I am not going to watch you die! End of discussion." She picked her bag and stormed off, leaving Remus wondering how an 18 year old could have so much authority.

AN: Thanks for reading! Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ginny started fluffing Hermione's curls, patiently waiting until she looked up from her book.

"You know, as greetings come, that is not exactly within the realms of social norms." She raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"Well, I tried calling your name several times but that didn't work," Ginny sighed, plopping down into the chair next to Hermione's.

"Really? I heard nothing."

"Yeah, but don't worry about it. I've long given up trying to compete with your books. Anyways, the reason I came up here is because it can't be healthy for you to spend so much time in the library. I mean, I think some of these chairs are starting to have a permanent Hermione arse indentation."

"Is that a fat joke?"

Ginny simply laughed and shook her head. "I have no idea where you have disappeared lately but I miss you. I think it is definitely time for one of our Germione parties."

"Oooh Germione Party? I love those. I'm in; just let me get my books together."

Back at the head girl's room, the pair was sitting on Hermione's bed. Ginny was rattling on about her latest male conquest while Hermione half-heartedly listened and laughed when appropriate. Hermione loved Ginny to death but Hermione barely had the energy to act like a normal, functional, human being. Thoughts of her professor and lycanthropy weighed down on her like an anvil and she was having difficulty thinking of much else.

Ginny stopped talking midsentence and looked sharply and her friend. "What _has _been going on with you lately? You always have that look plastered on your face. Is this about Ron?"

A light blush crept onto Hermione's face. "What look? I do not have a look!"

"Yes you do. The one were you look like you should be sighing next to a window with rain pouring outside."

Hermione threw a pillow at her face. "If you must know, I am incredibly upbeat and lively, you just can't tell because all of your boyfriends are distracting you from the truth."

"You are such a little liar. And you didn't answer my question, is this about Ron? Or Harry?"

Hermione couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness when she thought of her two best friends. She missed Harry horribly and she was still a bit guilty about how she had left things with Ron. They had been dating for a couple months before Ron and Harry left to find the Horcruxes. Ever since she had met Ron, she had always pictured the two of them together but when they were actually involved, she realized how boringly pleasant it had been to date Ron. No fire, just pleasantness.

They had ended things, saying that it was better if they had fewer distractions with the upcoming war. However Hermione knew that this was just an easy way of getting out of a relationship that they both knew was wrong. At least, she _hoped_ that Ron knew they weren't right together.

"Well I do miss them. And I hate not being able to do anything while they are constantly risking their lives. But no, this is about someone- er… something else."

"Hermione Granger, you little tart! You have someone else!"

"No, I don't. " Seeing the doubtful look on Ginny's face, Hermione continued. "Ginny, really. There is a really batshit crazy situation that I have no idea how to deal with. Even if I could explain what was going on between us, you would think I'd gone mad and have me committed."

"Alright, I won't push you any farther on the subject. But about the whole Ron and Harry, not helping at all, thing, haven't you been doing that spell? You know, the one that lets you send your extra magic to them?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she scrambled off of her bed, grabbing for her book bag. "I totally forgot! Ginny, I'm really sorry but I have to go! Thanks for everything!" she said as she dashed out the door.

O

Remus was sitting at his desk, grading, and trying not to notice that this was the time when Hermione would come and help him with giving out notes, in return for the help on her spell, sending her magical reserves to Harry and Ron.

Although he would never want to admit it out loud, he had looked forward to their meetings. Hermione had always just meshed well with him. There was always an unspoken sort of communication between the two. She knew when he was so concentrated on the task at hand that he would rather not be distracted and she knew when he needed a bit of conversation or a small distraction to give him a break from the taxing hours spent as a teacher.

He felt the pain in his shoulder significantly weaken as he heard the door open and a very out of breath girl stumble in.

She gave him an annoyed glance before focusing her attention on getting her quill out of her bag. "Sorry I'm late professor."

"Actually, I didn't think you would've come at all." She looked up at him with a questioning look and he added quickly: "Not that I'm disappointed, of course."

"Well you are still being a prat but I wouldn't want your students to suffer because of it."

"All in the name of education? How touching." He added, "You know, I don't think most students are in the habit of calling their teachers prats, at least not in front of them."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, I think it's safe to say that our situation goes beyond a normal teacher-student relationship."

Remus felt a pang of guilt but was interrupted by Hermione's voice before he had a chance to feel sorry for himself.

"What was that?" She said looking around.

"What?"

"That…" She gave a disgusted look. "That _buzzing." _

Remus had been too distracted to even notice. "Oh. That is a fly."

"I don't do buzzing, " she said as she pulled off her shoe and started heading towards the noise. Remus saw her corner the fly, freezing the poor, unsuspecting bug in place with her wand. It was too high up for her to reach, so she started jumping, trying to squash it.

Seeing the bushy-haired girl struggle, Remus couldn't help but smirk. "Here, let me help." In four easy strides, his long legs carried him to right behind Hermione. He leaned his torso against her back and put his arm on her shoulder, using her for balance. He grabbed the shoe from her outstretched hand, brushing his fingers with hers, and put his weight forward to easily swat the bug on his first try.

Hermione spun around to face him, her heart rate quickened. He towered over her, even at her five foot six frame.

Slowly he brought his arm back down and put the shoe in her hand. "Here," he said quietly.

"Thanks," she murmured.

Their faces were barely apart and his body was still pressed up against hers. Remus slightly lowered his head, his nose brushing hers. Hermione caught her breath. As if that small change in breathing patterns snapped him back to reality, Remus winced and took a large step backwards.

"No. This can't happen. You need to go." He turned his heel and marched towards where her bag was resting. He picked it up and held it out, gesturing for her to take her book bag.

Hermione hid a small smile and asked, "But what about the spell?" She gave the most innocent look she could muster.

"Oh, right. We'll do the spell and then you have to go." However, they both knew with that admission that she would be spending several more hours than necessary in each other's company.

O

Remus tiredly dragged his feet in the direction of his chambers. The spell that he had preformed with Hermione had left him completely void of energy, yet somehow; he had gained a strange new strength from the time spent with his mate.

The spell was a difficult one, one that required almost all of his attention and concentration, along with Hermione's. He couldn't help but admire the power that she possessed. If the spell was draining for him, he couldn't even imagine the energy it took out of Hermione, as primary spell-caster. She must've been completely exhausted by the end yet she stayed, stubbornly stating that she would not leave until she held up their deal and helped him grade.

As soon as he reached his chambers, he changed and collapsed into his bed, ready to drift into a deep sleep. Just as he closed his eye, his shoulder started pulsating with pain. He groaned and shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position.

His shoulder had become progressively worse over the past few weeks, excluding the times when he was around Hermione and felt almost no pain at all. He continued to fidget in his bed and try to convince his mind to ignore the harsh throb of his reopened wound.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours, Remus got out of bed with an exasperated noise and started to walk the hallways of Hogwarts. Following the pathways that gave his shoulder more relief, he soon realized that he was nearing he head girl's chambers. The nearer he got, the better his shoulder responded, and he could hardly stay awake long enough for him to reach a nook nearby the head girls doorway.

Eyes practically closed, Remus leaned against the wall and slid down, laying his elbows over his knees and resting his head over his folded arms. And like that he quickly fell asleep, pretending not to notice how pathetic he was that he couldn't even sleep in his own room. Instead, he had to sleep on the cold concrete, just to get a little relief by being in the proximity of the head girl's room.

AN: Thanks for reading once again! And thanks to everyone who reviewed! Keep it coming.

Also I edited the last two chapters. I'll probably be doing that a lot since every time that I reread what I wrote, I realize how more effort I should be putting into it. I'll try to do better and edit before hand in the future, however. And sorry for the grammar. Not my strong point. Anyways… REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Focus, Hermione… Focus. Really, his long legs aren't that interesting. Or the way that he dresses like he has that "professor look" down to a science. I mean really, elbow patches? Doesn't he know that I can't focus when he wears those? No this lesson on… (What is it? Popular Curses in West Malaysia?) is much more enthralling than- Oh Merlin's beard, I can hear him pacing. Keep staring at your paper. That's it, Hermione, write those notes. Why is he pacing?_

"Hermione?" Grateful for the distraction, her eyes snapped up to the inquisitive stare of Blaise Zabini.

"Yes?"

He grinned and slid his hand over her back, reaching for the quill on the other side of her. Picking up the quill, with his arm still around her back, he leaned towards her. Blaise whispered into her ear, "Can I borrow this?"

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes. Grabbing his arm, she firmly put it back where it should be: on his side of the table.

"You know, you could've just asked me to pass it to you."

Chuckling, Blaise shook his head. "Where's the fun in-"

Hearing a low growl, the two student's eyes shot up to see Professor Lupin, towering over them, with a ferocious look on his face. Blaise gaped, too stunned to react, and simply looked over too the girl sitting next to him with unfiltered shock.

Hermione's eyes widened and pushed away the bubbling panic in her gut as she realized what was happening. "Er… Professor? I have a question relating to…er… head girl issues that are rather sensitive in nature. Do you mind if we speak in your office?"

Remus nodded and followed her into his office without removing the prominent scowl that marred his handsome face. He kept his fierce glare on the poor, unsuspecting Blaise until the door to his office shut behind him.

After giving a quick glance to Hermione, who was shutting the door, the professor slumped into the nearest chair. Letting his head rest on the back of the chair and closing his eyes, Remus thought back to his childhood.

Having two older brothers, one gets used to owning second hand things. Every pair of pants and every jacket Remus wore, his elder brothers wore first until he eventually outgrew them. Even his books were not initially bought for him. His mother would buy his brothers books, hoping that someday Remus' love for the written word would rub off on them.

After his brothers would open a present and find it to be a book, they would smile at their mother, give their mother a kiss and say thank you, then look at Remus with an expression that said, _Yes, once we are out of the room, it's yours._

It never bothered him though. Having secondhand things. He had just never though much about it.

One day he discovered that in the woods near his house, about 10 kilometers away, there was a small lake. Everyday following, he would sneak off into the woods and spend hours in that lake. All of his best ideas and inspiration came while floating in those waters.

He never told his brothers about that lake. Even when his brothers begged him to tell them where he had been running off to everyday, Remus refused. Just thinking about sharing his little lake with them made the young boy bubble in angry possessiveness. As an adult, he had to admit that, even still, considering telling his brothers about the lake made him sick to the stomach. _Mine. Mine and no one else's. This one I can't share. I just can't. _

The professor opened his eyes to see Hermione watching him expectantly. All of a sudden he felt tired.

"I'm sorry, I just... I can't… I don't even know how to deal with this. You are young and of course you should be dating people. I think that naturally, because of our predicament, a part of me feels like you are mine and it's hard to imagine you with someone else but I want you to be happy and if Blaise makes you happy then-"

Hermione held up her hand. "No. Stop." She slumped down into the chair, right of Remus'. "I'm not dating Blaise." Her eyes widened and she looked at the man sitting next to her. "Are you with someone?"

"No."

"Ok then. How about we just agree that for right now we don't date anyone. At least until we have all this figured out and things calm down a bit."

Remus let out a relieved sigh. "Yes. Deal."

She grabbed his hand and gave it a light squeeze before standing up.

"We are probably going to have to tell Dumbledore. That is, if he hasn't eavesdropped on all of our conversations and already knows everything."

"After the whole thing with Blaise today, I think that would probably be best."

She walked to the door and reached for the handle. Before her hand touched the metal, she looked back at her teacher. "You know, I like your eyes that color. That shade of blue calms me somehow." She seemed to realize what she was saying because she straightened and blushed lightly. Still, she smiled and said "Good afternoon, Remus," before pushing the door open and exiting his office.

Remus couldn't help but notice that when she smiled, he felt a weight off his shoulders.

O

"Hermione! What the hell?"

"Tsk, tsk, Ginny. What would your mother say if she heard you using that kind of language?"

"She would say, 'Damn straight, my girl. If anything warranted vulgarity it is when the Defense Against Dark Arts Professor growls at another student and you had to hear about it from Hannah-fucking- Abbot.'"

"Hmm… well I'm not quite sure she would phrase it that way but-"

"Hermione!"

"Oh, honestly, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Lupin just got a bit annoyed at Blaise and started, well, growling."

"Ok, what was he _annoyed_ about?"

"Er…. I don't know?"

"Blaise said that all he did was put his arm around you."

"You talked to _Blaise?_'"

"Only because you never tell me anything!"

"Ginny wipe that pouty look off your face, you know that doesn't work on me. Fine! We can talk about it in my chambers, after school, say 7? Don't look so triumphant."

All day, Hermione had stressed about what to tell Ginny. There was so much to say, but she didn't know what to hold back.

Once Ginny was there though, sitting and listening patiently, Hermione found it hard to keep anything secret. She told her all about the book, how she would have to turn, and how Remus had reacted to Blaise touching Hermione. Ginny just sat there expressionless, soaking in every word.

Hermione felt lighter with each story she told and every experience recounted. She tried to feel guilty for spilling everything to Ginny but she knew that the last thing her red-haired friend would do was betray her confidences. The weight off of her shoulders alone was proof enough that she had done the right thing in confessing her twisted history with the werewolf.

"So you have to change within the next two full moons? And that's why he got so mad at Blaise? Because you're his mate?"

"Yes, but Ginny, you can't tell anyone. Everything is so delicate and new and we have no idea what to do with this new information. If someone were to find out it could be disastrous."

"Of course I won't tell anyone. " Hermione opened her mouth to speak but was stopped short. "Not even my family. But how do you feel about all of this? What do you think about him?"

"There's definitely something there, it just scares the shit out of me. I mean, I think it is very obvious to the both of us that there is a strong attraction. You know, I don't believe in the whole 'opposites attract' thing. Well, maybe they attract, but not for long. Eventually the strong differences become burdens instead of attributes and you start resenting each other. I don't think I could ever resent Remus. He understands me too well. But at the same time, neither of us is ready for whatever this is. And I'm scared that the only reason he's attracted to me is because he has to. Because 'the wolf' dictates it."

"I doubt that. I've never seen a man look at a woman the way he looks at you, even before this all happened. And I don't mean that in a creepy or even romantic way. He doesn't look at you like a romance novel would want him to. He doesn't look like he is pining. But he does look like the next thing you will say will be the end of the world as we know it. Like what you are about to say means everything. I'm not the person you should ask though. You should be talking to him."

Hermione had felt exhausted after her talk with Ginny. All of the emotions that she had been holding onto had drained, and with it all of her energy. She had taken a long nap and woke at one in the morning.

Cold marble successfully revived Hermione as she let her feet hit the hard and chilled floor. She slid into a pair of slippers and wrapped herself in a warm winter coat before leaving her chambers, in efforts to go on a late night stroll around the castle (one of the benefits of being head girl: if anyone questioned, she could just claim head girl duties.)

Upon exiting, Hermione's eye caught a shadow in the corner of her eye. Her heartbeat quickened, and pulling out her wand, she approached. When she saw that the shadow was not moving, and was just a huddled mass on the floor, her footsteps quickened.

She breathed in harshly when she saw Remus Lupin, eyes closed and body still. After closing the remaining distance between the two of them, Hermione dropped down to the floor next to him.

"Professor? Professor! Wake up?

"Whut? Stop shaking me, woman. I'm awake."

She gave a relieved laugh and slumped down to the ground near his head. "I'm not sure if I should if I should hug you or punch you. What are you doing, sleeping here.

Still half-asleep, Remus scooted up slightly and put his head in her lap. He gave out a small sigh when Hermione started running her fingers through his hair. "Can't sleep when I'm too far. Shoulder hurts too badly."

Her fingers froze and Remus immediately regretted speaking so quickly. "When you are too far. Too far from what? From me?"

She felt his head nod in her lap.

"You should have told me. Come on then." She started to pull him up.

He grunted but was still too groggy to argue. "Where are we going?"

"Well you can't keep sleeping out here. This wasn't the first night was it? You have to come to my room." She opened her mouth to say the password to the painting when he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait. There are wards against teachers going into these rooms without special permission from the headmaster."

"Oh. Well, we just have to go to your chambers then."

AN: Thanks everyone for reading! Especially to those who reviewed! I loved hearing what you have to say!

Note to "angry reader" in the comment section: Sorry you didn't like it. I can see how the Hermione Remus pairing would be a bit hard to wrap your head around. Obviously you haven't read the Snape Hermione or Lucius Ginny ones because otherwise your head might've exploded already. I am quite aware that Jk Rowling wrote Remus very in love with Tonks. Good for her. However, I like the less conventional pairings. To be honest most of JK Rowling's pairings in the books bore me because they are the most easy and expected routes possible. Hence, why I like the pairings that you don't see coming. This is what an alternate universe is: you stray from what would've happened in the books.


End file.
